ANRCETI to limit the number of licences in the 800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands

Moldovan watchdog, the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) has announced that, following a public consultation on a draft proposal to limit the number of operating licences in the 800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands, it will now review the results. The regulator notes that it received proposals from Orange Moldova and Moldcell.

According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, in accordance with a spectrum management programme for 2013-2020, as approved by the Moldovan government with Decision No. 116 dated 11 February 2013, ANRCETI ruled that the expiry date of all mobile licences issued to network providers operating in the Republic should be synchronised. The regulator decided to initiate the synchronisation process in order to ensure fair competition in the market, and to create the necessary conditions for the implementation of technological neutrality.

Going forward, under the terms set out by the programme, November 2014 will see the regulator grant new licences for the operation of mobile networks in the 800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands, which will be issued on a competitive basis. Previously, on 26 February 2013 the watchdog granted a 20-month provisional mobile licence to Orange just before its licence was due to expire (7 March); the technology-neutral licensing regime will be introduced for all operators on 5 November 2014, after the concessions held by Moldtelecom and Moldcell expire.

Under the draft resolution, the number of authorisations in the bands 800MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz will be limited as follows:

• three licences for 2×10MHz (FDD) and one authorisation for 2×5MHz in the 890MHz-915MHz/935MHz-960MHz) band; and

• three licences for 2×25MHz paired blocks (FDD) in the 1710MHz-1785MHz/1805MHz-1880MHz band.

The concessions will be issued to ‘direct suppliers’ who have already built communication networks and provide authorised mobile services in Moldova; the regulator invites qualifying applicants to submit their applications by 25 July 2014.